Technical Note
Capture and purification of
recombinant albumin-fusion
proteins using AlbuPure® .
A collaboration between Astrea Bioseparations Ltd and Albumedix
Human serum albumin (HSA) has a vast array of applications within the Biopharmaceutical industry including plasma expansion, formulation excipient, drug delivery, wound healing as well as extending the half-life of a protein drug as a fusion partner. A wide range of albumin-fusion proteins have been produced to extend the circulatory half-life of the fusion partner whilst maintaining its activity.
In order to support the rise in the production of recombinant albumin-fusion proteins, a selective affinity capture matrix is required that is highly stable, robust, non-toxic and provides high binding capacity, recovery and purity. In view of these requirements AlbuPure® was developed by Astrea Bioseparations in collaboration with Albumedix, a leading producer of recombinant albumin products and developer of albumin fusion protein technology (Veltis®).
Albupure® is manufactured exclusively by Astrea Bioseparations, produced in a controlled environment to ISO 9001 quality standard and available from Astrea Bioseparations for use in purification development and cGMP manufacturing of albumin-fusion proteins.
The AlbuPure® adsorbent comprises a novel synthetic triazine ligand derived from Astrea Bioseparations’ Mimetic Ligand™ technology and coupled to Astrea Bioseparations’ proprietary PuraBead® 6HF base matrix. This proven technology provides a stable ligand and attachment chemistry with low ligand leakage, enables the use of 1 M NaOH for sanitisation and provides excellent adsorbent lifetime.
In this application note, the capture and purification of recombinant albumin-fusion proteins using AlbuPure® is described.
Materials and Methods
Purification of different albumin-fusion proteins(1) IL-1ra and (2) anti-HIV gp41 were performed using AlbuPure® on an automated chromatography Workstation1. Both columns were packed, equilibrated, and operated as summarised in Table 1.
The Albumedix yeast expression system was used to produce cell-free fractions containing either (1) IL-1ra or (2) gp41 albumin-fusion proteins*. Each material was pre-conditioned prior to loading.
Non-bound and loosely bound proteins were removed with equilibration buffer. Bound non-target proteins were subsequently washed from the adsorbent using a series of buffers with increasing pH steps.
The albumin-fusion proteins were selectively eluted using buffer containing sodium octanoate.
AlbuPure® is hydroxide stable and was cleaned with 0.5 M NaOH
Table 1: Chromatography conditions for the capture, removal of non-target host cell proteins (HCP) and purification of (1) IL-1ra and (2) anti-HIV gp41 albumin-fusion proteins from CCS using AlbuPure® .
Platform
Columnparameters
Operationalflow rate
Equilibrationbuffer
Load
Washbuffer1
Washbuffer2
Washbuffer3
Elutionbuffer
CIP(CleaninPlace)
Automatedchromatographyworkstation
22.1mLcolumnvolume (CV) (1.6cmdiameter,11cmbedheight)
240cm/hr
50mMsodiumacetate,pH5.3
Yeastcellculturesupernatantscontainingtarget material*loadingto20 mg/mL
50mMsodiumphosphate,pH6.0
50mMsodiumphosphate,pH7.0
50mMammoniumacetate,pH8.0
50mMammoniumacetate,10mMsodium octanoate,pH8.0
0.5MNaOH
*Albumin-fusion proteins – genetic fusion partners:
(1) IL-1ra - 18 kDa (large molecular weight)
(2) gp41 - 5 kDa (small molecular weight)
Conditioned using dilute acetic acid to obtain a sample at pH 5.3 with a low conductivity of ~3 mS/cm.
Results and Discussion
IL-1ra Albumin-Fusion Protein
The IL-1ra albumin-fusion protein (~85 kDa) was captured by the AlbuPure® adsorbent with non-target proteins present in the column flow through (FT). Minor host cell proteins were removed using a series of wash steps with buffers of increasing pH, after which albumin-fusion protein was selectively eluted from the column using a buffer containing sodium octanoate (Figure 1). The process fractions were analysed by SDS-PAGE (Figure 2).
FIGURE 1: Chromatogram of the capture, removal of HCP and purification of IL-1ra albumin-fusion protein from CCS using AlbuPure® .
Absorbance (mAU)
FIGURE 2: SDS-PAGE of chromatography fractions of IL-1ra albumin-fusion protein from CCS purified using AlbuPure®. Lane 1: Load (diluted); Lane 2: FT (neat); Lane 3: post load wash (neat); Lane 4: wash 1 (neat); Lane 5: wash 2 (neat); Lane 6: wash 3 (neat); Lane 7: elution (diluted); Lane 8: elution (10 fold dilution of lane 7); Lane 9: human albumin standard (1 µg).
SDS-PAGE analysis (Figure 2) indicates high target protein binding with non-target material present in the flow through and post load wash (lanes 2 and 3). The increasing pH wash steps (lanes 4 to 6) highlights significant clearance of non-target protein (with only minor loss of target). The elution faction shows high IL-1ra albumin-fusion protein purity and recovery (lanes 7 and 8).
IL-1ra albumin-fusion protein``````
Human albumin standard
Anti-HIV gp41 Albumin-Fusion Protein
The anti-HIV gp41 albumin-fusion protein (~72 kDa) was captured and purified using AlbuPure®. Non-target proteins were present in the column flow through (FT) and post load wash, host cell proteins were removed using a series of wash steps with buffers of increasing pH. The gp41 albumin-fusion protein was selectively eluted from the column with sodium octanoate (Figure 3); process fractions were analysed by SDS-PAGE (Figure 4).
FIGURE 3: Chromatogram of the capture and purification of anti-HIV gp41 albumin-fusion protein from CCS using AlbuPure® .
Absorbance (mAU)
/ Flow through
SDS-PAGE analysis (Figure 4) indicates high target protein binding with non-target material present in the flow through and post load wash (lanes 2 and 3). The increasing pH washes (lanes 4 to 6), indicates significant clearance of bound host cell protein, with only minor levels of target observed. High anti-HIV gp41 albumin-fusion protein purity and recovery is observed in the elution fraction (lanes 7 and 8).
FIGURE 4: SDS-PAGE of the chromatography fractions for the capture and purification of anti-HIV gp41 albumin-fusion protein from CCS using AlbuPure®. Lane: 1. Load (diluted); Lane 2: FT (neat); Lane 3: post load wash (neat); Lane 4: wash 1 (neat); Lane 5: wash 2 (neat); Lane 6: wash 3 (neat); Lane 7: elution (diluted); Lane 8: elution (10 fold dilution of lane 7); Lane 9: human albumin standard (1 µg). 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
note: Capture and purification of recombinant albumin-fusion proteins using AlbuPure®
gp41 albumin-fusion protein
Human albumin standard
Conclusions
AlbuPure® can be used to capture and purify recombinant albumin-fusion proteins from fermentation and cell culture supernatants with high purity and recovery, as shown in this application note.
The AlbuPure® adsorbent has been used to purify a variety of different albumin-fusion proteins with a wide range of molecular weights including albumin fused to; anti-HIV peptides, IL-1ra, endostatin, prosaptide, Kunitz domain peptides, scFv, dAb nanobodies and vNAR.
In addition, AlbuPure® is able to process complex feedstocks at flow rates up to 600 cm/hr. As a result, the AlbuPure® adsorbent can significantly reduce manufacturing costs by shortening processing times due to its high operational flow rates and binding capacities combined with the ability to clean and re-use the adsorbent over many cycles.
References
Data courtesy of Albumedix Ltd: Use of a Novel Affinity Matrix as a Platform Purification for Albumin Fusions, Recovery of Biological Products XIV Conference presentation, Lake Tahoe, California, August 1st –6th 2010.
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